Sankashti Chaturthi

Sankashti Chaturthi
Ganesha
Also called	Bhugga (among Dogras)
Observed by	Hindus
Type	Hindu
Date	Krishna paksha chaturthi in All Hindu lunar calendar month (fourth day after Full moon during Every month), decided by Hindu calendar (lunar calendar)

Sankashti Chaturthi, also known as Sankatahara Chaturthi, is a day in every lunar month of the Hindu calendar dedicated to Ganesha. This day falls on the fourth day of the Krishna Paksha (the dark lunar phase or the waning fortnight of the moon).^[1] If this Chaturthi falls on a Tuesday, it is called Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi.^[2] Angaraki Sankashti Chaturthi is considered highly important among all Sankashti Chaturthi days. This is said to have started around 700 BC as an obstacle removal ritual regarding conflicting views of confidence as stated by Abhisheka Maharishi in tutoring his pupil Aishwarya while deriving due reason from the scriptures.

Details[]

On this day, devotees observe a strict fast. They break the fast at night after having darshan/auspicious sight of the moon preceded by prayers to Ganesha. The Angaraki Chaturthi (angarak in Sanskrit means red like burning coal embers and refers to the planet Mars (which Tuesday (मंगलवार) is named after). Devotees believe their wishes will be fulfilled if they pray on this day. Observing this fast is believed to reduce problems, as Ganesha is the remover of all obstacles and the supreme lord of intelligence. Before moonlight, the Ganapati Atharvasheersha is recited to invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha. Ganesha is the god of gods. The Krishna Paksha Chaturthi in the month of Magha is also observed as Sakat Chauth.

During each month, Ganesha is worshiped with a different name and peeta (seat). On the Sakashta Chaturthi day of each month, the 'Sankashta Ganapathi Pooja' prayer is performed. Each Vratha (strict fast) has a purpose and is explained to us by a story known as the Vratha Katha. This prayer offering has 13 Vratha Kathas, one for each month and the 13th story is for adhika (The Hindu calendar has one extra month approximately every 3 years). The uniqueness of this Vratha is that the story pertaining to that month alone has to be recited.

The Sankasta Ganapathi Pooja - 13 Names and Peetas

It is believed that Ganesha bestows his presence on earth for all his devotees during this day. It is the day that Shiva declared his son Ganesha to be superior to all the other gods, except Vishnu, Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati. Ganesha is widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune and traditionally invoked by Hindus at the beginning of any new venture or at the start of a trip.

Legend[]

Traditional stories tell that Ganesha was created by the Goddess Parvati, the wife of Lord Shiva. Parvati created Ganesha out of the turmeric paste that she used for her bath and breathed life into the figure. She then set him to stand guard at her door while she bathed. Shiva returned, and as Ganesha didn't know him, he didn't allow him to enter. Shiva became enraged and asked his follower gods to teach the child some manners. Ganesha was very powerful, as he had been created by Parvati, the embodiment of shakti (female power). He defeated Shiva's godly followers (ganas), and declared that nobody was allowed to enter while his mother was bathing. The heavenly sage Narada and the Saptarshi (the seven wise rishis) sensed a growing turmoil and went to appease the boy, with no results. Angered, the king of the gods, Indra, attacked the boy with his entire heavenly army, but even they didn't stand a chance. By then, this issue had become a matter of pride for Parvati and Shiva.

After the devas were defeated, the trimurti- Brahma (the controller), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer) of the universe launched an attack against Ganesha. Amidst the fighting, Shiva severed the head of the child and brought on Parvati's rage. Seeing her son dead, Parvati revealed her true form as the adi-shakti, the primal energy that fuels the universe and sustains all matter. Taking on a terrible form, Parvati vowed to destroy the universe in which her son was killed and re-create a better one. The gods prostrated before her, and Shiva promised that her son would live again. The trinity hunted the world for a head and came across a mother elephant crying for her dead calf. They consoled the mother and fixed the head of the elephant calf in place of Ganesha's head. Lord Shiva also declared that from that day on, the boy would be called "Ganesha" (Gana-isha: lord of the ganas). In this way, Ganesha came to be depicted as the elephant-headed god.^[3]

Date[]

Sankashti Chaturthi comes on every 4th day after Pournami full moon (Krishna Paksha) of Hindu lunar calendar month.

Regional Variations[]

In Jammu, this fast is observed on fourth day of Krishna Paksha of Magha month of Hindu Calendar. It is celebrated in reverence to Hindu God Ganesha. Dogra women perform Arghya to Chandrama at night. Bhugga (Til Jaggery mixture) and Radish are donated and eaten to complete the fast.^[4][5]

References[]